Although the focus of this application is primarily on heavy duty latching systems and components that are particularly well suited for use with the heavy doors of armored military vehicles known as “Up-Armored Humvees” (including latches, latch operating handles and other components capable of being used in “normal” and “emergency” modes to provide access, entry, egress and rescue), much of what is disclosed herein also can be used to augment, improve and enhance the capability, durability and performance of lighter duty hardware systems and components used in a wide variety of other applications including commercial, industrial and residential uses that have nothing to do with armored doors of military vehicles.
Likewise, although the present application discloses a complex arrangement of linkage connected, slam-capable latches having spring-projected slide bolts that can retract individually or in unison in response to normal and emergency modes of use of differently configured interior and exterior operating handles, many of the improvements, enhancements and advancements described herein also can be used to upgrade the capabilities and to lengthen the service lives of simpler closure-control systems and lighter-duty hardware components such as latches, locks, operating handles and connecting links used with the doors, drawers and lids of commercial and industrial cabinets and tool boxes.